Dianthus plant named ‘Fire and Ice’

ABSTRACT

A new and unique cultivar of perennial plant Carnation or Pinks,  Dianthus  plant named ‘Fire and Ice’ with long-blooming, fragrant, single flowers, with overlapping petals of deep raspberry with irregular fine flecks of pink and up to two larger pink spots. The petals have a margin of light pink becoming nearly white.  Dianthus  ‘Fire and Ice’ is tolerant of high temperatures and resists center die-out.

Botanical denomination: Dianthus hybrid.

Cultivar designation: ‘Fire and Ice’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the new and distinct cultivar of Dianthus or Pinks from the genus Dianthus and given the cultivar name ‘Fire and Ice’ previously known internally by the breeder code DIA070720. The new plant was the result of an intentional cross in May of 2007 by Kevin A. Hurd between Dianthus ‘Strawberry Sorbet’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,338 as the female or seed parent and ‘Cranberry Ice’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,342) as the male or pollen parent. The new hybrid was first isolated from trials at a nursery in Zeeland, Mich. during the summer of 2008. Dianthus ‘Fire and Ice’ has been asexually propagated at the same nursery in Zeeland, Mich. using traditional shoot tip cutting procedures and found to reproduce plants that are identical and exhibit all the characteristics of the original plant.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has not been evaluated under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary with variations in environment including: growing temperature, available sunlight, nutrients, water, etc. without a change in the genotype of the plant. The new plant is distinct from its parents and all other Dianthus known to the applicant in the following combined traits:

-   -   1. Flat, single, overlapping petals of deep raspberry with         irregular fine flecks of pink and up to two larger pink spots,     -   2. Petals having a margin of light pink becoming nearly white,     -   3. High heat tolerance with no vernalization required for flower         production,     -   4. Floriferous, vigorous and excellent habit, and     -   5. Compact, fine-textured, blue-green foliage.

Cultivar Comparison Table Flower Flower Color Petal Cultivar color Flower pattern diameter margin ‘Cranberry Ice’ pink dark wine edge 3.3 cm dark wine U.S. Plant Pat. and rim margin No. l8,342 ‘Devon Siskin’ red purple magenta edge 4.0 cm magenta U.S. Plant Pat. with burgundy margin with No. 14,377 base and light white edge (Raspberry pink eye Swirl) ‘Devon Xera’ crimson crimson eye 3.0 cm self U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,895 (Fire Star) ‘Feuerhexe’(not fuchsia solid 4.0 cm self patented) pink ‘Fire and Ice’ raspberry pink flecking 3.5 cm light pink and light pink becoming to nearly white nearly white petal margins Red Dwarf’ red crimson eye 3.5 cm self U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,437 (Eastern Star) ‘Ruby Sparkles’ magenta round deep 4.5 cm deep rose (co-pending) red ruby eye pink ‘Spangled Star’ red pale pink blotch 4.0 cm pale pink U.S. Plant Pat. and eye No. 13,029 ‘Strawberry bright red light pink 4.0 cm light pink to Sorbet’ white U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,338 ‘Very Cherry’ black-red burgundy eye 3.5 cm bright red (co-pending) and streaks ‘Sangria Splash’ fuchsia crimson ring 3.0 cm crimson U.S. Plant Pat. pink with pink with pink No. 21,781 splashing and splashing center Petal Plant height Cultivar Petal edge # In flower ‘Cranberry Ice’ moderately 5 20 to 25 cm U.S. Plant Pat. No. l8,342 serrated ‘Devon Siskin’ very fine serration 5 10 cm U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,377 (Raspberry Swirl) ‘Devon Xera’ coarsely serrated 5 15 to 20 cm U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,895 (Fire Star) ‘Feuerhexe’(not patented) deeply serrated 5 10 to 12 cm ‘Fire and Ice’ Very fine serrated 5 20 to 25 cm Red Dwarf’ rounded serration 5 20 to 25 cm U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,437 (Eastern Star) ‘Ruby Sparkles’ (co-pending) coarsely serrated 5 15 to 20 cm ‘Spangled Star’ minutely serrated 5 17 to 22 cm U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,029 ‘Strawberry Sorbet’ moderately 5 15 to 20 cm U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,338 serrated ‘Very Cherry’ (co-pending) finely serrated 5 25 to 30 cm ‘Sangria Splash’ variably serrated 5 30 cm U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,781

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The photographs of the new invention demonstrate the overall appearance of the plant including the unique traits. The colors are as accurate as reasonably possible with color reproductions. Some slight variation of color may occur as a result of lighting quality, intensity, wavelength, direction or reflection.

FIG. 1 shows a close-up of the flower.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following detailed description of the new plant is based on observations of one-year old plants in greenhouse-grown container at a nursery in Zeeland, Mich. with light shade, supplemental watering, light additions of fertilizer and free of other plant growth regulators. All color usage is in accordance with The 2001 edition of The Royal Horticultural Colour Chart except where common dictionary terms are used.

-   Botanical classification: Dianthus hybrid. -   Parentage: ‘Strawberry Sorbet’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,338 as the     female or seed parent and ‘Cranberry Ice’ U.S. Plant Pat. No.     18,342) as the male or pollen parent. -   Plant description:     -   -   Habit.—Cespitose, herbaceous, evergreen perennial; stems             proximally branched, erect; height of foliage about 9.0 cm             and 30.0 cm across; height in flower is about 25.0 cm; Root             system; fine, fibrous. -   Foliage:     -   -   Leaf type.—Simple, linear, opposite, decussate, sessile,             glabrous, glaucous on adaxial and abaxial; margin entire,             acute apex; base decurrent, adpressed along stem and             somewhat perfoliate; no fragrance detected.         -   Leaf dimensions.—About 10.0 cm long and 5.0 mm wide.         -   Leaf color.—More green than RHS 122B and more blue than RHS             133C on adaxial and abaxial sides.         -   Venation.—Finely reticulate, coloration same as that of leaf             top and bottom.         -   Stems.—Erect to slightly arching, terete, glabrous,             glaucous, proximally branching at 2 to 3 nodes.         -   Stem size.—About 25 cm long and 3 mm wide at base.         -   Stem color.—Nearest RHS 122B.         -   Branching.—Numerous from lower leaf axils; about 200 per             plant.         -   Nodes.—3 mm across, RHS N122C.         -   Internodes.—6.5 cm apart depending on growing temperature,             shorter in cooler conditions. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Type.—Terminal, cymose, erect, symmetrical.         -   Dimension.—About 3.5 cm across and extending about 7.0 mm             above calyx.         -   Flowers per stem.—3 to 4.         -   Pedicel.—Glaucous, glabrous, terete.         -   Pedicel size.—Usually 2.0 to 2.5 cm long and 2 mm diameter.         -   Pedicel color.—Nearest RHS 122A. -   Flowers:     -   -   Type.—Salverform, single, symmetrical.         -   Flower bud shape.—Rhomboid to terete.         -   Flower bud size one day prior to opening.—About 2.2 cm long             and 0.5 cm wide.         -   Flower bud color.—Glaucous, nearest RHS N138B; tinted with             anthocyanin nearest RHS N77D.         -   Flower period.—Beginning late May and flowering until frost             in the fall with a short 2 week rest after the initial             period of four weeks.         -   Flower fragrance.—Light, sweet spicy, clove-like.         -   Flower lasting quality.—About five days on or off the plant.         -   Petals.—Five, consisting of a rounded blade or limb and a             claw; blade and claw combined are obovate; apex and margin             finely serrulate with dentations 0.5 mm deep, bearded with             minute hairs mostly on the center of the adaxial surface;             outer petal margin of about 1.0 mm wide; bent outwardly             about 6.0 mm above the calyx to nearly a ninety degree angle             forming the limb; claw tapering to truncate base.         -   Petal color.—Petal limb base adaxial side between RHS N79B             and RHS N79C with numerous fine spots of less than 0.5 mm             diameter of RHS 73A and up to two larger spots about 3.0 mm             across nearest RHS 73A, margin of lighter than RHS N74D             becoming near white, much lighter than RHS 69D and RHS             N155C; abaxial side limb between RHS 76C and RHS 76D;             adaxial side of petal limb lightens to between RHS 73B and             RHS 73C; claw consistent RHS 145B on both surfaces for the             1.5 cm portion within the calyx and lighter than RHS 69D on             the abaxial surface above the calyx and RHS 73A above the             calyx on the adaxial surface.         -   Petal dimension.—About 3.2 cm long extended including claw             and limb; petal limb about 1.5 cm long and 1.4 cm wide;             claws about 1.8 cm long and 1.0 mm wide at base and 3.0 mm             wide below limb.         -   Calyx.—Glabrous, glaucous; consisting of five sepals with             acute apex and fused base making up a five-toothed corolla             tube fused in proximal 1.4 cm; about 2.0 cm long and 0.6 cm             in diameter; nearest RHS 138B in adaxial surface and nearest             RHS 137B on abaxial surface; individual sepals with entire             margins.         -   Peduncle.—Glabrous, glaucous, terete, 22 cm long and 2 mm             diameter at base; nearest RHS N138D.         -   Bracts.—Two, opposite, glaucous, entire, broadly obtuse with             rounded apex, about 5.0 mm long and 3.5 mm wide; between RHS             141A and RHS 141B in the center of both adaxial and abaxial             surfaces, nearest RHS 142C at base and margins.         -   Bracteoles.—Two, opposite and at 90 degrees offset from             bracts, oblanceolate, sharply acute apex, bases joined at             stem; about 4.0 mm long and 3.0 mm wide; glaucous, entire;             RHS 141A at apex and center, nearest RHS 142C at base and             margins.         -   Androecium.—Usually 10 stamens. Filaments: variable in             length from 1.6 cm to 2.5 cm long, less than 1 mm diameter,             dorsifixed; very pale red-purple much lighter than RHS 72D.             Anther: elliptic-oblong, about 3.0 mm long and1.0 mm wide,             nearest RHS 186D; pollen; less than 0.1 mm across; color             nearest RHS 158C.         -   Gynoecium.—Style: split in two above ovary. Pistil: about             2.5 cm long and about 1.0 mm diameter; much lighter than RHS             63D. Stigma: about 1.0 cm long and 1.0 mm wide; curled             around nearly 270 degrees at maturity; much lighter than RHS             63D. Ovary: superior to androecium and inferior to             gynoecium, spindle-shaped; about 8.0 mm long and 3.0 mm             wide; RHS 145A at distal end and between RHS 145 D and RHS             145 C at proximal end. -   Seed: Only few have been observed; blackish brown darker than RHS     200A, shield-shaped, dorsiventrally compressed, about 3.0 mm across     and 0.5 mm thick. -   Capsule: Ovoid to cylindrical, opening by 4 teeth, about 2 cm long     and 8.5 mm diameter, between RHS 164B and RHS 164A when dried. -   Disease resistance: The new plant is resistance to center die out     from fungus or high temperatures. The plant grows best with adequate     moisture and well-drained soil, but is able to tolerate high     temperatures and some drought once established. Hardiness at least     from USDA zone 4 through zone 9. 

1. A new and distinct Dianthus plant named ‘Fire and Ice’ essentially as herein described and illustrated and suitable as a garden ornamental, potted plant and for cut flower arrangements. 